‘IIT was in jail for 4 years…’, why did he leave engineering after degree, Viral post of former BHU student created ruckus – 6 points

By Samira Vishwas On Jul 21, 2026

In today’s time, lakhs and crores of IIT students will be found in the country. Some children have a dream since childhood that they will do IIT, but some have to do IIT due to the wishes of their parents. Due to which such students are forced to leave their profession and whatever they are interested in and go to IIT. Now a social media post of IIT (BHU) alumnus Akash Sampurnanand Pandey regarding all this is becoming increasingly viral these days. The candid experience he has shared regarding his engineering studies has sparked a new debate across the country regarding education, career and passion.

Pandey claimed that he studied engineering just to get a degree, whereas his real inclination was towards subjects like history, economics, politics and international affairs. Akash Pandey, who lives in America, says that the degree he got from a prestigious institute like IIT definitely gave him recognition, but his real interests and career direction were decided by the books read and subjects learned outside the classroom.

Know the story of the sky in 8 points

1. In his post, Akash Pandey described the four years of engineering as a very difficult experience. He wrote, “My degree was like a four-year prison for my mind academically. This was the price I paid for getting recognition from IIT.” He admitted that he used to attend classes only to complete 75 per cent mandatory attendance and his interest in studies was very limited.

2. According to Pandey, when metallurgy and alloys were taught in the class, his attention remained focused on books on history, economics, political science and international relations. He told that his roommate used to prepare for UPSC and he used to read many books from him. Every semester he used to read about seven to ten books which had nothing to do with engineering.

Back in 2012 during my IIT days, I was a Last Bencher. A waster. There’s a word for it. Lukkha I would go to classes only because @IITBHU_Varanasi had mandatory 75% attendance rule. My degree was like prison time of 4 years for my brain, academically. That was the price I paid… pic.twitter.com/gHRgYBAWe3
— Akash Sampurnanand Pandey (@late_bloomer_7) July 17, 2026

3. The former student also admitted that he used to open engineering books almost a day before the exam. He said that he studied only as much as he could to complete his degree. The purpose of maintaining around 7.5 GPA was also only to remain eligible for campus placements.

4. After completing his degree, Akash Pandey entered the field of consulting in the corporate sector and then completely distanced himself from engineering. He wrote in his post, “I completed my sentence. Started a consulting job and once I was free, I ran away from my main subject as much as I could.”

5. At the end of his post he also shared a message for the youth. “Don’t let a four-year degree determine your 40-year career,” he wrote. This line of his remains the most discussed topic on social media.

6. Internet users had varying reactions to Akash Pandey’s experience. Many people said that his story is an inspiration for those youth who realized their true interest during studies and later chose a different career. On the other hand, some people also raised questions on his thinking.